, 1887-08-21
WILL STAND BY HIM.
Douglas People in Defense of Their
Favorite Pastor.
They Propose to Vigorously Uphold
Rev. Mr.. Staunton.
A Few Counter Charges Brought
Against Presbyterians.
To the Editor of The Leader.

To the Editor of The Leader.
DOUGLAS, Wyo., Aug. l5.-A wedge
has been driven and an effort made to
separate the pastor and people of this
church. As was stated in a recent issue
Of the Cheyenne Sun, the first church
privileges had in this place were under
the auspices of the Congregational church.
In October, 1886, the Rev. II. W. Ran
kin came here and on Sunday, the oath,
commenced a series of meetings in a
building occupied by the Congregational
lists, their minister being absent. Mr..
Rankin held meetings for six weeks. On
Sunday, Nov. IS, he organized inform
ally and raised 81 200 by subscription to
build a church. Jan. %, 1887, a Presby-
terrain church was organized by DR.. Kirk
wood, superintendent OF missions of the
synod of Colorado. After the organiza.
ton five trustees were elected, and the
writer hereof was elected elder. DR..
hlrkwood left the next morning. In CON
versation with him while here he prom
ised me we should have a minister in two
weeks, at which time Mr.. Rankin left.
He also told ne hat we could depend on
getting 800 from the home mission to
apply on ministers salary. AT the very
time we needed a minister the most, to
hold the membership together, collect the
money and build the church, we were left
alone nearly three months, Our people
became discouraged, and | wrote DIR.
Kirkwood our condition and urged and
insisted upon their sending to us a minis
ter at once or we would be unable to hold
our little flock together longer.
Mr.. Staunton happened to be on the
ground at the time very luckily for Doug
las) and DR.. Kirkwood insisted on his
(Staunton) coming here, and Mr.. Field
gave promise that be would stand by him
and insure him support. About two
weeks after MIR. Staunton's arrival here
an application to the home mission for
5000 was made out and signed by Mr..
Staunton and myself and sent to Mr..
Field, only to be pigeonholed by him, as
he wrote Mr.. Staunton afterward that he
had done nothing with it. while we were
uOluS all we COulu
TO HOLD U CHURCH TOGETHER
and pay our minister enough TO meet his
current expenses, expecting of course we
would get our support from the Home
Mission, as was promised us. And now
they are pouring out their walls Of wrath
through the newspapers from Cheyenne
to Brooklyn, via the Interior, of Chi
cago, d~enouncing Mr.. Staunton in the
most bitter terms, and accusing him of
changing this charge from a Presbyterian
to a Congregational society, when Mr..
StauntOn has had nothing to do with this
change at all.
The Boulder P~resbytery has no one to
blame but themselves. They have failed
to make good a single promise they ever
made us. We had been trifed with long
enough, and felt like taking the reins
into our own hands and looking after our
own ministers, knowing that we had a
minister far superior to any man in the
West in his profession. We did not pro-
pose to let him go.
Mr.. Staunton was in good standing
when he came here, and had letters Of
recommendation from the most prominent
clergymen in Brooklyn, such as Drs. Tai
mage, Spear. Carpenter and others, men
who were present at his trial, and were
perfectly familiar with every feature con-
nected with it, and there is no intelligent
man that does not know that these men
would never sign their names to letters
of recommendation or endorsements if
they thought he was not worthy Of them.
He has proved himself since he came to
Douglas to be not only an able preacher,
but a Christian gentleman in every sense
of the term. After reading the foregoing
you will not wonder the people of Douglas
should not hesitate to receive Mr.. Staun-
ton, or retain him if possible as their
minister. The following is an extract
from DR.. Talmage's speech before the
Brooklyn P~resbytery and printed in the
New York World, October IA, 1886:
DR.. Talmage's Speech.